Inez Dorothy Thorstenson, daughter of Hans and Bessie (Berge) Blessum, was born June 18, 1912 in Rugby North Dakota.  She died on November 26, 2018 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby.  She resided at HAMC since late 2012 when she moved from the Halland Manor where she had lived since 1991.

Inez graduated from Rugby High School in 1929, attended Interstate Business College in Fargo 1929-31.  She began work in the Allotment Office of the Pierce County Court House in the formative years of Welfare started under President Roosevelt.  There she met and later married Marvin B. Thorstenson.  Marvin progressed in the North Dakota Welfare Department and they moved from Rugby to Towner to Bismarck, returning to Towner in 1947 when Marvin and Inez’s four brothers purchased the Blessum Hereford Ranch.  Marvin died in July 1948 and Inez and her 3 children returned to Rugby following one school year in Beaumont, California where they lived with her parents.

Inez‘s education and ability earned her a 25-year career at the Good Samaritan Hospital — now Heart of America — as Medical Records Librarian.  In addition to a full time job and raising a family, she served as secretary on the Priscilla Watts Cemetery Board for 10 years and was an active member of Bethany Lutheran Church.

Inez and Marvin’s children are Marva Odegard (Dennis) of Georgetown, Minnesota; Terry Thorstenson (Carol) of Peoria, Illinois; and Renae Herfindahl (Roger) of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Inez and Marvin have 8 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.  Her family, her relatives, her Rugby friends were always foremost in her life. 

Her choice for any memorials would be Bethany Lutheran Church and Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby ND.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 21 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Rugby with burial in the Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.  Pastor Barb Haugerud, officiating.

Visitation and time to greet the family will be held for one hour prior to the services at the church on Fruday.